Jennifer Lawrence Talks About the Winter’s Bone Awards Buzz

Photo by Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic.Actress Jennifer Lawrence is one fresh-faced 20-year-old—but with seven films under her belt and major awards buzz for her work in Ozarks-set Winter’s Bone, she’s no shrinking starlet. The movie, which won Best Picture at the Gotham Independent Film Awards on November 29 and just racked up seven Spirit Awards nominations, stars Lawrence as Ree Dolly, a hard-bitten teenager in search of her father. The Kentucky native talked to West Coast editor Krista Smith about skinning a squirrel, making friends in young Hollywood, and the size of her trailer on the new X-Men set. Highlights from their chat:Krista Smith: In Winter’s Bone, you play a 17-year-old—weren’t you close to that when you did it?

Jennifer Lawrence: I was a baby, 18—I had just turned 18.

Wow. So how many movies have you done now?

I did Poker House, The Burning Plain, Winter’s Bone, The Beaver

And then you’re doing X-Men now?

X-Men is seven.

In your short career, you’ve had three huge female directors, which is unique considering women make up a small percentage of the D.G.A. [Directors Guild of America]. Did you recognize that fact at all?

It seemed normal to me. It’s not until now that I’m older that I can reflect, and really appreciate it and understand it.

How was it working with Jodie [Foster]?

There’s not enough time in our lifetime for me to say enough nice things about her. She’s brilliant, and she’s so normal. I learned so much from her professionally every day. I was also able to see what I wanted to be, the kind of person that I wanted to be. I would be lucky to grow to be half that person.

Now, when you were a kid, I remember with your Mom you were telling me these great stories about how you were just like, “I’m going to act. We’re going to New York.” And you have older brothers—you’re the only girl of a long line of no girls.

Fifty years, yeah.

Wow. So what was it that convinced you to convince your mother to say yes?

I just kind of had this blind, stupid drive that really only a 14-year-old could have, of just knowing that it was going to happen. Well, not knowing that it was going to happen—but just not really considering failure as an option. I just wanted to do it so badly. And I think that my parents had never seen that in me before, and that made them take it more seriously.

Were there any films or plays that you saw, or anything you read, that first sparked your interest?

Not in particular—I just love films and I love filmmaking. And I do see movies and I think, “Wow, that’s one of the best movies I’ve ever seen.” But I never think, “I want to be that, I want to do that.” Because that’s been done. It just inspires me.

You have talked about how you decided not to study professionally.

You could call it a decision, yeah. [Laughs.] It was more that I just I couldn’t afford it, probably.

So how did you get cast in this movie?

I auditioned twice in L.A.—once with just the casting director and then Deb [director Debra Granik] was in the second one. And then they went back to New York and said I didn’t look right for the part. So I flew to New York on a red-eye, like one would, and showed up the next day, and probably just scared them into giving me the part.

What didn’t look right to them?

Um, I think just probably more rugged, or—I don’t know, that’s a question for them! They just thought I didn’t look right.

You grew up in Kentucky, so a little bit of the accent came through. You didn’t have a problem with that?

No, not really.

How was skinning the squirrel for you?

[Laughs.] How was it for you to watch?

I was like, “Oh my God, she had to do that.”

Yeah, that was an interesting day.

And now with X-Men. Who are you playing?

I play “Raven Darkholme/Mystique.”

And what is her character like?

Mystique is a shape-shifter—a metamorph. So she can shift into the object of any person she chooses.

So you went from independent films like Poker House or Winter’s Bone, with small casts, to something that’s got trailers and bells and whistles. Is it less intimate in a way?

It’s a difference in filmmaking. Between “Action” and “Cut,” to memorizing your lines, to showing up to work, to being on time, to being professional, to getting your job done—that’s all the same. You know my trailer is bigger, I have a nicer place to live, the food is better—things like that change. But I really can’t say I prefer one over the other. Because there’s something that’s so beautiful and character-building, really, when you make an indie, and you guys are starving and cold and exhausted and not one of you is there for the money. Obviously. You’re only there for the film, and then when you see it—when I watched Winter’s Bone—I just got chills, because I know how hard we all worked. And then you do a studio movie and you work just as hard to make sure that it’s good. There’s more leniency to have a little bit more fun—I can enjoy kind of living the life in London, as well as going to work every day. It’s just different. But the filmmaking is still the same. You still take it as seriously.

I was trying to [feature you in Vanity Fair] for The Beaver, which obviously has now gotten moved with all the nonsense happening. And then you ended up on the cover of W—how was that experience? It was a great cover.

Oh it was so fun. I met Kat Dennings and Zoe Kravitz. Zoe Kravitz and I are now doing X-Men. Best friends. It was really fun. Zoe and I were talking about it—there’s this new generation of young actors that is cool, really nice people, and I thought either everybody has gotten cooler and decided it’s not cool anymore to be a douchebag, or I’m the douchebag walking around thinking that everybody is really nice.

The range among young actresses is broader now, and it’s great to see someone like you to go from the WB to a huge film like X-Men. Do you get to see any movies?

I didn’t have time while I was in London, but I want to. I’ve been dying to see The Social Network. Because Lynn Hirschberg—speaking of W—I trust her more than like anybody on movie recommendations, and she said I had to go see it.

Yeah, I started in journalism as her assistant. I have known Lynn forever.

Really?!

That’s why I was like, “Ughhh, Lynn got her on the cover!” Because we have the same kind of taste, obviously.

Ah, thanks.

So how are your parents doing? Are they loving this?

Yeah. I mean it’s weird saying yes now, ’cause I just got off the phone with a tearful mother. She’s flying into L.A. tonight and you know we are going to miss each other. And that just really broke her heart. I felt so bad. And she was like, “When can you just come home?” I felt so terrible. But yeah, they love it, because they know how happy it makes me.

And what about your brothers? How many brothers do you have?

I have two older brothers. They’re great. One just got married. And the other is coming to see me, actually, next week in London.

And they are not in the biz?

No. I am the black sheep.

So how was your general feeling about all this talk about Oscar nominations? What does that do to the head?

Actually, nothing. It’s very strange. I think it’s actually so big that it can’t fit in my head. So it’s kind of just bouncing off. It’s a compliment. People really, really thought I did a good job to tell me these things. It’s very nice and it means a lot; it’s a tremendous honor. But I don’t think something like that can sink in. At least to a 20-year-old.

Do you watch yourself perform?

Yeah.

And that first day when you’re on a set, or watching yourself, how do you get through your own insecurities?

If I didn’t think I could do it, I wouldn’t do it. That would be a terrible feeling to have every day on set. No, I mean, if I’m there, I’m ready.

You’d be surprised how many people do it nervous and anxious.

I get that with this. “Can I do this? Do I want to do this?” Press freaks me out. But I also don’t want to be one of those people that acts as if it’s not important. Because when you make a movie, and you care about it, and you’re passionate about it like I am when I make my movies, I want people to see it. And I realize that it’s important for me to go out and try to be likeable and try to say the right things so that people try to see it. And I don’t ever want to downplay it or make it seem less important. And I think that’s why it makes me nervous, because I don’t think I’m as good at it. You know, if you give me lines and you give me a camera—I’m fine, I’m good, it’s my comfort zone. You give me this, I don’t know what you’re going to ask me and you’re recording everything that I’m saying, you know—that freaks me out.

Well, it gets increasingly more that way now.

It’s like the same thing we were talking about with my family—I grew up with all men and I’m the youngest and no one ever listened to me. So I’d always just say really weird things ’cause no one listened. And now everybody’s listening, and it’s terrifying. You know when you say something embarrassing at the moment that a whole room goes quiet and looks at you? That’s what press is. All of a sudden, everybody looks at you and remembers what you’re saying.

Do you have something lined up for after you’re done shooting X-Men?

I’ve got lots. I have talked to people, so I know I have jobs, but I have no idea where I’m going after X-Men. To be honest with you, I don’t even know what I’m doing tomorrow.